a little background ...
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Dasha is a nationally-respected advocate for writers and the art of
spoken word. Locally, she is founder and director of Still Waters
Collective, an outreach initiative utilizing creative writing as tool to build
new models of leadership and empowerment. Kelly’s brand of training
and development has been widely requested: colleges, K-12,
correctional institutions, non-profit groups, corporate teams, artists and
arts organizations. In addition, Dasha works to broker professional
development and performance opportunities for local artists and writers.
Most recently, she was invited to work with the University of Wisconsin's
First Wave Urban Arts Scholarship as National Recruitment Director.
In her own craft, Dasha is an accomplished writer, a seasoned performer
and engaging public speaker: She has written for magazines such as
Upscale, Black Enterprise and Milwaukee; her narrative essays appear
regularly online, to include OnMilwaukee.com; her 2003 novel, All Fall
Down, earned her a place in Written Word Magazine as one of the Top
Ten Up-and-Coming Writers of the Midwest; she performed on the
season six premiere of HBO presents Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam;
her one-woman show, Anthems for Grown Folks, is being developed into
a traveling production; and she works extensively as a keynote and
motivational speaker. Dasha has recently released a collection of
writings on Penmanship Books and is working on her second novel.
Milwaukee-born, Dasha is a self-described “Army brat,” living with her
family in various locales around the world. She now resides in
Milwaukee with her two daughters.
spoken word. Locally, she is founder and director of Still Waters
Collective, an outreach initiative utilizing creative writing as tool to build
new models of leadership and empowerment. Kelly’s brand of training
and development has been widely requested: colleges, K-12,
correctional institutions, non-profit groups, corporate teams, artists and
arts organizations. In addition, Dasha works to broker professional
development and performance opportunities for local artists and writers.
Most recently, she was invited to work with the University of Wisconsin's
First Wave Urban Arts Scholarship as National Recruitment Director.
In her own craft, Dasha is an accomplished writer, a seasoned performer
and engaging public speaker: She has written for magazines such as
Upscale, Black Enterprise and Milwaukee; her narrative essays appear
regularly online, to include OnMilwaukee.com; her 2003 novel, All Fall
Down, earned her a place in Written Word Magazine as one of the Top
Ten Up-and-Coming Writers of the Midwest; she performed on the
season six premiere of HBO presents Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam;
her one-woman show, Anthems for Grown Folks, is being developed into
a traveling production; and she works extensively as a keynote and
motivational speaker. Dasha has recently released a collection of
writings on Penmanship Books and is working on her second novel.
Milwaukee-born, Dasha is a self-described “Army brat,” living with her
family in various locales around the world. She now resides in
Milwaukee with her two daughters.
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Spoken word performer and writer Dasha Kelly was the first artist up.
There was no denying BONK! co-founder Nick Demske’s excitement
as he introduced her. Kelly is from Milwaukee, is an advocate for
spoken word performers and writers, founded the Stillwater Collective,
and had copies of her CD and book available. She’s also been called
one of the top ten up and coming Midwest writers. Nick’s excitement
was quickly making a whole lot of sense. Stepping up to the front of
the audience, Kelly began telling what, at first, seemed to simply be a
personal anecdote. It seamlessly segued into a spoken word piece
though, keeping me and the entire audience engrossed. Kelly’s
delivery of her pieces was infused with a fantastic energy, and the
imagery was incredibly rich. There was a mixture of the earthly and
the ethereal; bold descriptions and metaphors that took the listener on
a ride up through the heavens and right back to the ground. Another
nice aspect of Kelly’s work was that while there was definite realism
present, it was tempered with a sense of hopefulness. No surprise to
me (or probably anyone, at that point), Kelly walked offstage to the
sound of enthusiastic applause.
By Lisa Adamowicz Kless
Excerpted from http://exposekenosha.com
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March 23 Milwaukee, WI Alverno College 7:30 pm |
| PLACES I'VE BEEN INVITED Awww, thanks! |